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84 turbo Riviera engine

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86 LeSabre LC

New Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2002
Messages
14
I recently purchased a 84 Riv engine and just got going through the wireing harness and other seperate parts that came with it. I suddenly came to the realization that I dId not have the ignition system for the engine. This is a project engine for me so I have no experience. I see a crank sensor and some type of electrical component where the distributors used to be put. It still has the plug for harness. So what I'm wondering is whats missing? Coil packs & ignition module ? Anything else I should know about ? Would the module be hard to come by? Is it a 2 year only ? Anything ? Thanks !
 
It sould be the same setup as the the gn's and regal t's. There should be a cam sensor where the distubutor would be. Also the should be an ignition module and coil pack. The easiest way of getting on is get the 87 module and coil and get a wire kit from caspers or one of the other vendors. The hot air modules are over 400 clams. So it is a cheaper and better to go with the 87 ignition setup. Hope this helps.
 
The only diferance between the two engines is where the turbo mounted,U shaped intake pipe, up pipe and headers. every thing else is the same.
 
How did you buy the engine, as an engine only from a private owner with a box of misc. parts wire harness etc, or from a yard off a rack with misc. attached, or out of a car you saw at a private owner or yard? Is it just the engine or the motor/trans assembly? Anyone who has a complete or mostly complete turbo Buick car, Regal or Riviera, has at least a good starting point to work with, if the car runs, great, if it does'nt, with a factory service manual they should be able to, if it's just a motor with a few pieces attached, it's not as easy as starting with an old Chevy small block and with just a few pieces you'll get it running. New to these motors myself, I bought a front half of a Riv from a yard, it is a turbo and the yard cut the car at the door post/windshield and dropped it off at my garage. It was mostly complete but some important things were missing, ECM (computer) and prom exclusive to the turbo Riviera, alternator ( specific to the turbo motors), some wiring was messed up, the steering column was cut out and wiring was cut, alternator wires cut, and 8 wires/pins were pulled out of the wire harness to computer plug. It was relatively straight forward using the factory service manual to get everything right and the motor was soon running ( in the front frame clip). I don't think it would have been to easy with just a motor and some of the pieces though. I hope you have most of what you need to get it running, will need more information as to what you have to tell you what to get. Just my opinion, it will probably be easiest to get it running and learn about the turbo v6 by getting it to run in stock trim first, then going from there. I remember your post about a week ago in the general tech forum, and several members mentioned the differences between the Regal and Riv set ups, so just to get it running stock, there will be minor differences. The computer/prom is different and will take into account the weight of a Riv, the usual 3.15 gear ratio, the older carb camshaft (Riviera only), smaller crossover/ up pipe, and the extra 180 degree bend the air takes out of the turbo. Oil pan/oil pickup is different too although that will not change how it runs. I am just learning the basics too, and am only passing on what I believe to be correct, good luck with the project, if anything I can help with, I'll share what I know. I also bought an 85 turbo Riviera in good stock running condition, and can use it as reference for information.
 
84 Riv- parts

Hi my name is Tony and I bought a bunch of 84 Rivira parts, block, coil pack and module brackets. E-mail me if I can help am looking to get $150 for coil pack and module. gntony@yahoo.com
 
It was previously pulled from a car a was supposed to be a complete engine w/harness no tranny. Its got the harness and even some from the firewall to the dash. It is however missing the alt&bracket also no AC stuff, no starter. Then like I say I realized it didnt have the coilpacks and module when diging through the harness. Then there is probably other brackets and stuff thats going to make this a bigger hastle. So I now realize its going to be a expensive engine before I can even find out how wore out it is. I'm a bit screwed & not very pleased to say the least but I should have learned more and thought about what was not there before buying. It most likely better for a replacement engine for someone that already has the stuff than a distant project like I had in mind.

I am more fimilar with the FWD V6's. Would the coil packs& module be any different on them. Its the same firing order right. Doesnt the signal go from the crank sensor to the ECM then to the coil/module ? Maybe just different plug/conectors ?
 
the coil pack and module on my 86 gs 3.8 is the same as the 86 -7 turbo 3.8. caspers electronic sells the adaptor harnes to this module and coil. The 3.8 was also avail in a 86 (and other years im sure)centruy wagon. I would think you could find one of them for the missing electrical parts(sensors and such) not all are the same though,and the bracketry wont work. good luck on your project
 
At this point I am only going to give my opinion as what you should do next, of course others opinions may differ, anyway, I would consider the following; what are the plans for the engine( what do you plan to put it in), how much have you spent so far for the engine, and how much will you be able to spend both money and time? All is not lost or hopeless of course, you will have to decide what direction to go. When I bought the Riv front section, like I said most was intact, and the yard (I have always done good with) said it ran good when it came in, could'nt start it before I bought it because of the missing ECM, alt, and cut wires, but guaranteed me it was good, and sold it ( front half of car) for $600 including rest of wire harness to back including taillights, tank and the gas tank, point is I had enough to work with to get it running, putting the puzzle back together was'nt to hard, especially with the factory service manual. It seems important that if anyone buys a late model engine (starting mid 80's) and plan to install it in whatever ( old car, street rod, custom, foriegn, etc.), to get as much of all electrical/electronic and mechanical parts associated with it. If you plan on putting this engine in one of the above, you will have to hunt down all that is missing, and it looks like you have a list, of course if you got the motor cheap say a couple of hundred, and providing it's good, it shoul'nt be to bad, while not $200, more like $6-800, just a guess though, and that is to bring it to 84 Riviera spec. $150 coil pack/ ignition (you already have one source), $150 alternator and bracket ( could be more), $150 ECM/PROM/cal pack ( could be more), starter $?, and I'm leaving more that there is still parts missing. Of course it's also going to depend on what you plan to put it in, if a Regal or other car for that matter, the Riviera unique stuff could get in the way, and wo'nt work, with the turbo hanging off the back it wo'nt fit so you will have to get the correct brackets, headers, crossover pipe, turbo adaptor, etc., to make it work, so you have to buy more parts, and that you'll have to look into. If you plan to build a street rod/ custom it could work though, just depends on how much room you have. I don't want to guess , but do you have plans to put it into an 86 LeSabre? That would sound complicated, although probable, lots of work, and you would have to ask around on that one. If you're planning on a Regal or other GM G body, I think I would by a whole turbo Regal with good drive dtrain and wrecked or rusted body to get everything as a complete package, motor, electronics,etc. Unfortunaty swapping all the information you need is going to take more time than just this post can provide, and some of us (myself for sure) don't type to fast, which makes getting acrossed information a slow process! Once again I'm asking more questions but need the input to further give advice. Remember that this board is a great place for information, and you can buy parts you need and sell stuff you don't so hopefully whatever you're decision with this motor, you should do to bad. Let us know what you're plans are.:)
 
If his plans are to put it in the lesaber(going out on a limb here) isn't the bolt pattern on the back of the block wrong? 86 lesaber narrow corprate vs 84 riv wider BOP ? Wondering for myself also.:confused:
 
Brent - 86 GS ? 86 Century GS ?

Well what I want to do with the engine is a long shot and one for someone like me with more money that brains. AND I dont have much going on in the brains department so I dont have lots of money either. :confused:

No not my 86 LeSabre thats a fairly clean repainted original w/3.0 and I like it just the way it is.

Yes - 2dr.H body, no - FWD , thats all I really want to get into because I dont want to talk the talk before I at least begin the walk. It will be a lot of fabrication all the way around so at this point it may still be a pipe dream. I purchased the engine because they dont come around everyday , I have been thinking about this idea for over a year and there all of a sudden was the engine so I jumped on it. It will be awhile but I do want to get the engine in order - somewhat - during the winter. I have a exhaust manifold to fix , is this possible ? Would it be stainless.

Another question on Riviera. Once on the Riviera owners association page it had years and some specs. It actually stated that the 4.1 was standard at least for most years and the 307 & Turbo 3.8 were optional. Is this true - the 4.1 being standard ? It seems all around here had 307 , should I be on the lookout for 4.1's ?
 
Yes it is a Century GS. My brother had a H body just like this when he was 16spyder should be a good project. My .02 on the 4.1 block is you dont need it unless you need more more more power.or if your 3.8 block is shot.
 
Let me see if I get this straight? 86 LeSabre LC, you want to put the Riv engine in an 70's H-body? You mean the Monza/Vega "H"? And all you have it sounds like is a long block? No big problem there as the Riv has the same motor mount bosses as the Regal RWD. Even though you are missing a lot of the supporting pieces those should be easy to come by. Just look in the parts for sale section. The Riv and Regal use the same parts. The only major expense might be the exhaust and wiring harness. Again as in the post from a couple of weeks ago you can use the turbo, you just need the correct parts to hook it up. Also a lot of the hot air parts like alternator brackets,a/c and p/s were the same parts as the NA 231 Regals. On the Riviera questions in 79-80 the 231 NA was std. 81-84 the 4.1 was std. In 79 the Olds 350 was optional and in 80-85 the 307 was optional. And the turbo 3.8 was available in 79-85 along with the 350 diesels. If this isn't the answer to your questions please repost with some clarifactions with your intent as to what you want to do with this engine? I've been doing this most of my adult life and there's nothing that is impossible. Thanks Eric Fisher
 
Brent - 86 Century GS - cool - not many of them left. On the 4.1 I meant get them before the crusher. I think I read somewhere they all had the better crank like turbo engine.

No I meant 86-91 H body LeSabre 2dr..With fabrication and all kinds of welding. RWD,like I said "I'll say no more" Most likely never be able to be street inspected unless I can find "a guy".

The H body Skyhawk would be a awsome car to put one in with a stick and certainly easier than what I have in mind.I've always been bummed that they never came with that option. Most likely a HP to weight problem. One of the guys back in high school bought one of those V8 Monzas 260 something brand new. We always thought it was "cool". However me and chevy in the same sentence , yikes ! Not that I ever had anything against Chevy in fact they have made a few of my favorite cars.My Grandfathers 58 Brookwood wagon I learned to drive on. The 60 Impala is a work of art, any Corvette or Camero. But since the killing of Olds and castration of Buick toped by the Chevy comercials "we'll be there" and now "to the end" I've really had quite enough. Combine that with the 3800 being put in them for a drivetrain and everyone else wanting to put SBC's in Old Buicks and Oldsmobiles and the rows of Malivelles at car shows I've really had enough. Old topic I know , I just wanted you to know my feeling on the matter. I'll admire them from afar.

Thanks for all the info guys. I've got a 76 Olds 88 2dr. hardtop to finish first and I'd say I better get at it.
 
86 LeSabre, i'll keep this short!, never say never on the project, I'm sure it can be done, different but it can be done! Can't say how but those are the LeSabre/Park Avenues with the clamshell front ( been using the tilt mechanisms for my project), and they do have a subframe bolted to the uni-body, you said to make it rwd? As long as the motor/trans 2004r or whatever can fit in there, the floor pan could be cut and have a trans tunnel and hump welded in, rear end installed, in a nutshell, set up like the old Chevy nova design. Could get extreme and build an entire tube frame and install the body over it, anyway, just saying there are possibilities! Good luck on the idea, as for the motor, lot of good guys here with info, post with particular questions, just a suggestion, get a factory service manual for 84 Buicks ( auto swap meets, hemmings, ebay,wherever), best source for complete mechanical/electrical/electronic info.
 
Thanks for all the encouragement , everyone. I figure a fair amount of frame/reinforcement. Rear end needs more room than is currently there also. Then you've created a gas tank problem as well.

Actually both of these H body cars mentioned I have always felt was a shame they did not go somewhat further with. That 2dr. LeSabre was some nice body and was a great car as it was but it could have been much more. So I've been wanting to do this coulda' , shoulda' H body. The shell had some success as a Winston cup but I have a even different package in mind. In other words I dont want to build a Nascar replica , something even diferent. Hopefully alot cheaper too. :cool:
 
If a company can sell a bolt in kit to put rwd and a 5.0 in FOCUS this HAS to be DONE. get to work :D should be pretty cool. good Idea. The GS would be cool rwd and turbocharged too. I tought about that awhile back. Good luck:cool:
 
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